Forger climbs into stakes ranks in Mountain Top
R.D. Hubbard celebrated his 80th birthday last Saturday at Ruidoso Downs by watching a horse he co-owns, Lilly Is First, capture the $337,185 Mountain Top Futurity for Quarter Horses. On Saturday, he’s back chasing another Mountain Top Futurity, but this time, the race is for Thoroughbreds.
Hubbard, the former owner of Hollywood Park and CEO of the operating company of Ruidoso, has the homebred Forger in the $175,000 Mountain Top. The five-furlong race is for 2-year-olds bred in New Mexico.
Forger will start as one of the top contenders in a 10-horse field that also includes Diabolical King, a full brother to the multiple stakes winner Liberty Lover.
Key contenders
Forger (Last 3 Beyers: 41-35)
* He has been favored in both his career starts, finishing second in a maiden special weight April 12 at Sunland Park, then winning a trial for the Mountain Top on June 5 at Ruidoso.
* In his trial, Forger tracked the pace and fought for a neck win while covering five furlongs in 1:00.60. The 41 Beyer Speed Figure he earned is the best last-race number in the Mountain Top.
* Forger is a son of Attila’s Storm, a Grade 3 winner of $534,983. Forger’s dam, the Gone Hollywood mare Faked Out, was a winner at 2.
* Todd Fincher, who boasts a 33 percent win rate this meet at Ruidoso, trains Forger.
* Alfredo Juarez Jr. has the mount from post 2.
Diabolical King (Last 3 Beyers: 40)
* He missed by a neck in his debut when second to Forger in that Mountain Top trial.
* Diabolical King will break from post 8 under Enrique Gomez.